Karen Olsen Ramsey, Area Manager- Jewelry

Tuesday Evenings 6Pm to 9Pm we will cover anything relating to metal fabrication

The Jewelry lab at The Curious Forge is a great place to come and play with metal techniques and stones. Fully equipped with 12 work stations and all hand tools, oxy/propane torches, rolling mill, bench shear, drill press, grinders, punches and more, the lab is available to members to learn and make the jewelry creations of their dreams. Stop in on any Tuesday evening and experience our Open Studio, attended by Karen Olsen Ramsey, and her assistant, Angie Van Valkenburg. Quarterly classes are offered to the public teaching basic fabrication techniques, cold connecting, chasing and repousse, enameling, casting, and more. Check out the calendar for scheduled classes.

Liam Ellerby, Founder of The Forge – Metal Maniac

Liam is the Founder of the Curious Forge and is known for being “loose” with all kinds of materials and will generally learn anything once. Aesthetically appealing, utilitarian and weirdly functional assemblage pieces are his main interest. Metal was his first love and the first cut is the deepest

First Thursday of every month is a Metal Arts Meetup group for the public as well as members, where discussions and demos around all kinds of metal fabrication take place. Contact Liam with questions.

Metal is a versatile material, used to build skyscrapers as well as windshield scrapers. It is a material that allows precision and elegance or brute strength and bulk. The equipment used to form and fabricate reflect the material in their extremes of shear strength, speed of spin and extreme heat. We have tried to create a fabrication workshop that has the essential equipment to manipulate the material in as many ways as possible given our space limitations. We want to invite you start your journey into mastering the materials and equipment to enable you to create forms of unusual complexity, function and aesthetics.

Ron Moreland, – IT/Tech

Ron, a retired engineer who worked for Pixar, has been with the Forge from very close to the beginning.

Friday mornings 9am to 2pm and other hours as arranged.

Our growing list of CNC equipment (3D printers, CNC Laser Cutter, CNC Mill and sooooon, a CNC Router program) is overseen by Ron, he loves the stuff and loves helping you learn how to use them.

We have an amazing collection of mixed-media art supplies for our members.

Judy is in on Thursday from 3pm- 7pm.

Judy started making cards in 2001 when a good friend of hers was starting up a Stampin Up business. She immediately liked it and never stopped making cards, eventually running out of room in her home and was able to start the new Mixed – Media Arts area at The Curious Forge. This area is ever expanding into all aspects of Mixed Media Arts such as Painting, Miniatures, Wire Sculptures and more. Check out the calendar for classes.

Judy Kell, Area Manager- Mixed-Media Arts

Kara’s often seen milling about the space carrying stuff. The Forge is a passion and continues to draw her forward, seeing the bustle and the inspiration and community being formed all the time is a kick. The Forge is strong in this one, if you have any questions, please contact me!

Kara’s fine art paintings art paintings can be found at www.blacklionart.com, and her poetry at sixpoets.com

Naima Pagano, Area Manager – Textiles

My approach to sewing is rather unconventional. Instead of following patterns and instructions, I learned by improvising and started to create new styles while I was figuring out how to use the machines. After a few years of designing and creating, I went to school to learn the ‘norms’ of fashion. My approach is a blend of conventional techniques and untraditional fashion. My main interest falls in the movement of sustainable fashion by upcycling outdated clothes, reshaping and transforming them into one-of-a-kind wearable art.

During my classes I want to give the students the techniques that support their creativity and allow them to make their own dream projects.

Monty Clark – Glass

The Glass Workspace is a new addition to the Curious Forge. Monty is a retired Art Professor who worked for 35 years at American River College. He instructed classes in Small Metal Arts, Ceramics and Drawing and 2-D /3-D Design. Monty started working with stone cutting and jewelry making as an eleven year old in the late 50’s, and many years later as a professional student, received a Master’s of Art Degree in Sculpture with an emphasis in Jewelry.

Glass curious? Monty is in the lab on Wednesdays from 5pm to 9pm

Monty is interested in ideas from any point of view and assists others to learn the techniques and concepts need to translate the idea into a 3-D form. Monty began working with hot glass in 1991 and fell into total submission to this beautiful color transmitting and exotic material.

Craig Rohrsen – Shop Steward

One of our PT staff, Craig oversees our space and other volunteers to keep the Forge ship-shape!

Craig is a retired Manufacturing Engineer/Software Programmer. He used LabView software to create programs for production automation. Now working part time as the Shop Steward for the Curious Forge. I work to provide a safe environment, install and maintain equipment and make repairs as needed for the Space Stewards and Forge members.

I have been a maker since I was a kid. The Forge is a catalyst for creativity. Finally a large space where ideas, talent and tools come together!

Cameron Mira – Firestarter/Area Manager – Tech

Cameron Mira, A Maker from the Bay Area. He’s worked for Maker Media build and testing various projects. His specialties include Electronics, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, & 3D Printing but he also loves Photography and Painting. He’s worked on many projects ranging from a 2 million volt Digital Tesla coil to Pepekura Prop Helmets.

Wanna chat or need help with a project Saturday Noon – 4

Ginny Lenoir, Area Manager – Textiles

I have always created things, especially clothing and sculpture. As a young adult I made a living making leather and decorating leather clothing; I still do for costumes etc. I enjoy teaching and sharing my skills with others.

Ginny is in the shop Wednesday’s 5pm to 9pm

I taught extensively to children and adults in my previous art studio in Arizona. My strongest skills are teaching, sewing; leather, garments, clothing and I most especially enjoy costuming. I have also taught clay sculpting and hand building. Bottom line I love making things!

Lee Ackerson, Area Manager – Electronics

Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) was my favorite company. I worked as a software consultant on the original electronic paper (think Amazon Kindle display) and later as a Member of the Research Staff, I developed DSP hardware and software for complex systems and robotics.

Lee is in the Electronics area on Sundays between 1pm and 4pm

I started a company to develop 150 KW motor controllers for electric cars and trucks that was funded in part by a DARPA grant, but I spent most of my time in startups as an embedded systems engineer developing hardware and software for micro-controllers.